ARLINGTON, VA — An independent inspection of the Four Mile Run bridge connecting South Arlington Ridge Road with Mount Vernon Avenue in Alexandria requires closing the west sidewalk to pedestrians, due to deterioration of beams below. Vehicle traffic will not be affected by the restriction, which takes effect immediately.

The same issue exists with a beam beneath the Arlington Ridge Road bridge’s western sidewalk.

Working with the City of Alexandria, Arlington traffic crews will use signage and barricades to direct pedestrians and bus riders to the bridge’s east sidewalk. A Metrobus stop (10A, 10E, 23A, 23B routes) and entry to Four Mile Run Park and the Four Mile Run Trail are just before the north end of the bridge on the east side at South Glebe Road. Another Metrobus stop sits at the northwest corner of Arlington Ridge and Glebe (10A, 10E routes).

As with the Glebe Road bridge, the restriction at the Arlington Ridge Road bridge will remain in place indefinitely as engineers monitor conditions and look at eventual replacement options.

The bridge at Glebe Road is now being inspected formally by third-party engineers every six months. Its sister bridge at Arlington Ridge Road is slated for another third-party inspection within a year in addition to regular County examinations.

Per industry standard, Arlington bridges are formally inspected by third party engineers every two years, with regular County safety checks at other times.

]]>Arlington County Issues Bridge Restrictions on West Glebe Roadhttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-county-issues-bridge-restrictions-on-west-glebe-road/
Sat, 10 Nov 2018 00:07:10 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=19471ARLINGTON, VA – A routine inspection of the bridge on West Glebe Road at South Four Mile Run has uncovered deterioration, which will require a vehicle weight restriction of 5-tons, and closure of the sidewalks in both directions. Because safety is the priority, the restrictions are effective immediately.

The County performs maintenance inspections of its bridges every two years; the last routine inspection was in November 2017. A recent interim check on the 62-year-old bridge prompted a more detailed inspection that showed accelerated deterioration in the structural beams, particularly underneath the sidewalks.

A weight limit restriction of vehicles that weigh more than five tons will primarily affect larger heavy vehicles such as buses and dump trucks. Because of lower southbound vehicular volume, the County is exploring options to restore pedestrian access by possibly converting a southbound lane to a pedestrian path.

The restrictions will stay in place until further notice. The County will continue to monitor the bridge on a routine basis to ensure there is no further deterioration in its condition.

]]>Say Goodbye to this Courthouse “Slip Lane”https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/say-goodbye-to-this-courthouse-slip-lane/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 21:41:40 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=15311One of Arlington’s next efforts to make its streets safer and friendlier for pedestrians is coming to the area near Courthouse Plaza and Courthouse Metro.

In its place will be an expanded pedestrian plaza with new landscaping, street furniture, and bike racks, better sidewalks and ramps for persons with limited mobility, and larger and more conveniently located stops for nearby ART and Metrobus routes.

The change will make the intersection safer and friendlier for pedestrians, in particular by reducing the need to cross another lane of vehicle traffic.

Although the slip lane will not be physically removed for several more weeks, it is now permanently closed to vehicle traffic as construction crews begin to stage their equipment.

This will change the way some people get to the County offices, Saturday farmers market, or nearby AMC movie theater by car.

And drivers wishing to use the underground parking garage at Courthouse Plaza will still be able to enter from Clarendon Boulevard, but will have to exit via Veitch Street.

In addition to improving safety, removal of the slip lane will also bring environmental benefits, by replacing impervious asphalt pavement with shrubs, ornamental grasses, and street trees. This will help reduce excessive run-off during heavy rains, which can carry street debris and other pollutants into local waterways.

]]>Map Arlington Projects with New County Toolhttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-projects-map-tool/
Wed, 06 Dec 2017 20:23:11 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=14304Starting today, anyone will be able to locate and learn more about County projects happening around Arlington by using the My Arlington – Projects map. The new tool, a collaborative effort across multiple County departments, provides a map view of County government projects in Arlington: daily work, transportation, parks, water and utilities, facilities projects, and private development.

More on how the tool works

Projects can be filtered by type and status.

You can look up projects based on your address or civic association.

Addresses in and around Arlington produce the best results (some smaller-scale projects may not be included).

Most projects are removed from the map once they’ve been complete for one year.

The map is updated several times a day.

It links people with more detailed project information already online.

The My Arlington – Projects tool combines data from a variety of sources — the Planning and Projects area on the County website, including development and site plan data; Open Data portal; staff in departments who input daily work — but goes a step further to display everything on a map. The same information will be added to the My Arlington mobile app in the coming weeks. Watch County Manager Mark Schwartz highlight the tool’s features in this video:

The My Arlington – Projects map does not include projects by VDOT, Washington Gas, Dominion Power, APS, and other non-County government entities at this point. Over the coming months, we’ll be improving this tool and adding more content and places that can be viewed and filtered. To help us plan future improvements, share your feedback.

Background

This map-based tool aligns with County Manager’s Mark Schwartz’s strategic focus on transparency and easy access to information. It was also created based on interest in projects and construction voiced by community members.

This new tool is a cross-departmental collaboration between many departments: Technology Services; Communications & Public Engagement; Environmental Services; Community Planning, Housing and Development; and Parks & Recreation.

During the times tolling is in effect — eastbound: 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.; westbound: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Monday-Friday — you’ll need to have an E-ZPass properly mounted in your vehicle. If you’re driving alone, you’ll need to pay a toll with the E-ZPass. If you’re carpooling as HOV-2+, you can travel for free, but will need an E-ZPass Flex in the HOV mode. The lanes will remain free to all users during the off-peak periods, including weekends.

Arlington County Resources

]]>Updated My Arlington App Delivers “Push Of Information”https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/my-arlington-app-download-update-ios-android/
Thu, 03 Nov 2016 18:56:56 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=9609Since its release in January, the My Arlington App has helped you stay on top of the County’s events and news, provided alerts to traffic and Metro delays, and streamlined the search for permitting information. We took it further in August, adding real-time traffic data, voting maps and info, an easy-to-use County staff directory and more. Now we’re unveiling the latest updates to My Arlington — all part of the County’s commitment to a more open and accessible government.

Today’s My Arlington app has a fresh, new design, starting with the home screen. A tiled, customizable layout offers easier navigation.

Just in time for Election Day (Nov. 8), you can now use the My Arlington app to access information on Arlington voting, find your polling location and even view a map of Voter Precincts. (Remember, all polls are open 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.)

Staying ahead of your commute has never been easier with Transit Alerts from Metrobus, ART and VRE, and a Waze-powered Traffic Map and alerts from VDOT.

Transit Arrivals were added to show nearby bus stops and Metrorail schedules, all from the convenience of your smartphone.

With over 80 stations in Arlington, Capital Bikeshare, part of the County’s Transit Development Plan, allows short-term use of over 3500 bicycles across Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, VA and Montgomery County, MD, with the ability of returning it to any station. And with the My Arlington app on your phone, you’ll always be connected to station updates.

You can use the My Arlington app to view Real Estate Sales, get information on Planning & Building permits, stay in-the-know with the latest news from both the County and Arlington Public Schools in one feed, and access a searchable Staff Directory.

The update also includes Info Popups, with tips and tricks to help you best utilize the app’s new features.

The My Arlington App (version 2.1.2) is available for free download in both the App Store and Google Play.

]]>‘Around Arlington’ and the County’s Complete Streets Projectshttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/around-arlington-complete-streets-projects/
Thu, 11 Aug 2016 15:12:40 +0000https://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=9045Join us as we take you “Around Arlington” in Arlington TV’s regular round-up of news and notes from the County. In this edition, we highlight tips to beat the heat, detail the Tree Canopy Fund (and how it can help you plant trees), celebrate Arlington being named the No. 1 digital county in the county, provide an update on the Complete Streets program and look forward to the Arlington County Fair.

The Complete Streets projects, managed by the County’s Department of Environmental Services, are intended to improve safety and access for all users, pedestrians, transit riders, bikers, and motorists on noncommercial arterial streets, as well as improve street aesthetics, stormwater management and bioretention. Improvements could include:

Arlington County is supplementing the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority”s (WMATA) efforts to assist travelers during Metrorail’s SafeTrack Surge 1, which will bring continuous single tracking for Orange and Silver line trains between East Falls Church and Ballston from June 4 through June 16, 2016. Working closely with WMATA and our partners across the region, we’re making operational changes and encouraging alternate travel options.

Drivers should be mindful of temporary directional signs as they travel to the Rosslyn, Ballston and East Falls Church Metrorail stations: there will be changes to parking and street access in these areas.

Arlington’s response plan for Surge 1

Alternate work and travel options

Encouraging telework/flex time, ridesharing, biking and walking.

Arlington Transportation Partners is reaching out to its many partners – including employers, building managers, businesses and retailers – to urge them to encourage people to telework or flex their schedules.

Arlington’s Commuter Page has many resources available to businesses and residents; for example, assistance for vanpooling and other car-free options.

Driving alone should be the last resort.

Modeling this behavior by encouraging Arlington County Government employees to seek travel alternatives and the possibility to telework.

Installing a Capital Bikeshare station at the East Falls Church Metrorail station, and adding capacity to Bikeshare stations at the Ballston and Rosslyn Metrorail stations.

Adding bike racks at the Ballston Metrorail station.

Providing new “bike trains” that will stop at each Metrorail station from East Falls Church to Rosslyn.

Experienced riders will lead groups of new or infrequent riders who want to try cycling for their commute.

Adjusting the County’s paving schedule for the rest of the year to avoid work on arterials that may coincide with SafeTrack surges.

]]>Arlington Paves the Way for Roadway Data-Sharinghttps://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/release/arlington-paves-the-way-for-roadway-data-sharing/
Sat, 16 Apr 2016 13:51:53 +0000http://newsroom.arlingtonva.us/?post_type=news_release&p=7804It will soon be easier to find the best real-time routes around Arlington.

The County Board today approved Arlington joining Google’s Connected Citizens Program, which includes a data sharing agreement between Arlington and Google.

Arlington will supplement what Waze users report with information on major planned closures, including closures from special events. This will directly benefit all Waze users as they navigate in Arlington.

In return, the County will receive real-time information — crowd-sourced from the streets – on traffic conditions and flow in Arlington. Warnings of high-impact traffic disruptions will soon be incorporated into the County’s “My Arlington” app.

“This is one more way the County is improving access to information that makes it easier to live and work here,” Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said. “The goal is to help our residents and visitors make better informed decisions about their commute using real-time traffic and road conditions at no cost.”

The Board voted 5 to 0 to approve the deal.

The staff report on this item, #43, from the Saturday, April 16 regular Board Meeting, is available on the County website.

The new motorist-friendly data-sharing is part of Arlington’s Open Government and Open Data initiatives, aimed at making it easier for anyone to access valuable information generated by County operations.

Arlington’s participation in Google’s Connected Citizens Program involves no fees or costs.

Waze, purchased by Google in 2013, is a separate app from the very popular Google Maps, although the two share data occasionally.

Arlington County has launched a new website with real-time traffic conditions provided by 180 traffic cameras placed at critical intersections on County-owned roads.

“This new service is part of the County’s initiative to promote open data and better serve all those who use Arlington streets,” said Dennis Leach, Director of Arlington County’s Transportation Division. “We’re utilizing technology to provide the public with real-time traffic conditions so that they can make informed decisions about their planned trip – anything from a commute to a special event.”

Greg Emanuel, Director of Environmental Services, added that with snow season just around the corner, this will be a great tool to monitor traffic and weather conditions before any travel during a winter event.

Users can view the map on all major mobile and desktop devices. Camera feeds must be refreshed in one-minute intervals, to ensure the network bandwidth is not overloaded and the experience of other viewers is not slowed. The County plans to add feeds from Arlington roads controlled by the Virginia Department of Transportation in the future.

Background

The Transportation, Engineering & Operations Bureau monitors traffic cameras to provide orderly movement of traffic and for incident management purposes. These cameras are also shared with the Emergency Communications Center and the Arlington County Police Department.

For the last few years, the County has been upgrading the traffic signal communications network from copper cable to fiber. This state-of-the-art technology improves the reliability of our traffic cameras and provides higher-quality feeds. It also will help the County implement a Smart Traffic Signal System, which integrates real-time traffic monitoring with Variable Message Signs (VMS), Bluetooth devices, video detections and traffic cameras. Upgrades will continue through spring of 2016.